Using surveys to understand curbside recycling programs

Curbside collection of recyclable material can be expensive because the inherent costs of curbside collection are high, but also because amounts collected per residence are small compared to the total waste stream, and extra activity may be required, such as sorting. A better understanding of how residents participate in curbside recycling programs may help operators reduce costs. In this paper, surveys and direct observations of set-out behavior are used to increase our understanding of recycling programs. Specifically, the paper addresses: (1) survey validity, i.e., the representativeness and accuracy of survey responses; (2) the measurement of respondent awareness of a recycling program and related activities by survey; and (3) relationships among set-out amount, set-out frequency, and household size.